Pine Log brings student closer to God
By: Paul James
Posted: 5/2/05

I was told that as a graduating member of The Pine Log staff I was entitled to a farewell column. Ironically, this is also my first column, which is why the name and picture beside this column are probably foreign to you. I’m not a writer, I’m a layout assistant, but I’ve come to realize while working for The Pine Log everyone has something to say.

I’ve learned a lot during my time here at SFA, both in and out of the classroom. I learned that there is a direct correlation between class attendance and grades. That is, the more I attend class, the higher my grade will be. Unfortunately, that was a pearl of wisdom I realized too late in my college career to raise my GPA. My time here at SFA has also taught me that professors are not in this for the money, and despite what I had thought, most professors here actually do have a heart and are capable of showing compassion.

I’ve learned that I cannot change people, but I can love them for who they are. With the exception of this semester, my entire college career has been spent as a self-righteous, Bible-beating, Christian T-shirt-wearing hypocrite that never really understood the real meaning of Christianity. You know the type; I went to church three or four times a week wearing novelty T-shirts with phrases like “A bread crumb and fish” or “God answers knee-mail,” asking the question “What would Jesus do?” but never really doing what Jesus would do. I was in all the cool Christian groups on The Facebook, proud to be a “Lumberjack for the Lord.” I claimed that Jesus loved you, but I was too good to ask you to sit with me at lunch because you drank too much, smoked pot, swore like a sailor or you were gay. I acted like I had it all figured out when in fact I was just as clueless as the next guy. I was so consumed by Christian culture that I lost sight of who Christianity was all about.

My brief time working for The Pine Log has opened my eyes to what Jesus meant when he said, “Love your neighbor.” I have to admit that I was a bit wary of taking the job of layout assistant at The Pine Log because of my strong conservative Christian background. I wasn’t sure I could handle it. In fact, I thought about quitting after my first night at work. I couldn’t quit though, because I desperately needed every penny that I was getting to pay for my cable Internet and to put gas in my car. So I decided to stay, and over the next few weeks, as I continued to work, something happened. I realized that my co-workers were people with feelings, emotions, worries, doubts and a desire to be loved. It is sad that it took an epiphany for me to see this, but I think that so much of Christian culture preached that I was better because of what I believed.

Am I the only one who missed the boat on Christianity? I doubt it. I think we’ve all seen people just like me on campus too lost and too proud to admit their faults. So for those of you, who, like me, have hid under the banner of Christianity, I challenge you put down your torches, tear down the walls you’ve built up and break out of your comfort zones. Quit hiding in your churches and student centers and live the faith you claim to have. Life’s too short for B.S.

For everyone else, keep searching. I say keep searching because I think we are all born with a hunger for knowledge and truth. Don’t ever be satisfied with what you know because as soon as you do you will become like I was, close-minded and proud. Read everything, challenge everything and you will find what you are looking for.